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What accreditation means to services - in their own words

These are just some of the quotes we've received on the benefits of Leading Lights accreditation for services:

Joy Leighton, Victim Support Luton Idva service

"The Leading Lights process has made the service more holistic, as everyone is working in the same way through processes we have implemented, meaning cases can be easily picked up by others in instances of absence or leave.

"Since we obtained Leading Lights, our casework management system reflects we are much more efficient at reaching services users quickly at the point of referral, maximising the options open to them, targeting immediate risk and safeguarding issues and utilising individual Idva specialisms to aid our services users in our diverse community. We have an increased awareness of the importance of regular risk assessing and safety/support planning, record keeping, multi-agency working and signposting to obtain best outcomes for our services users. We have been able to evidence these improvements to our service with regular case work management with senior Idva`s and audits that are regularly carried out to help us ensure and maintain our Leading Lights status."

Deb Cartwright, CEO, Oasis domestic abuse service

"Oasis is a medium sized charity in East Kent delivering a range of services to those experiencing domestic abuse as well as vulnerable young people. They have been accredited twice under Leading Lights and have led practice development in Kent through consortium working. The success of this consortium was influenced by accreditation with SafeLives.

"As a result of the developments to practice and approach, the team have worked more effectively with many families. In one year of the consortium delivery the country-wide team of Idvas handled 1856 referrals with an average 90% engagement rate and 82% of service users feeling significantly or much safer. One woman said, 'I have gone from walking on eggshells to stepping on stones.'

"Accreditation is vital for our services, and Leading Lights has been integral to Oasis' ability to focus on the development of young people's services. It has contributed to increased professionalism, skills and our reputation, and in combination with contract success has secured our ability to develop these other vital services."

Delia Donovan, CEO, Dash (Domestic Abuse Stops Here) Charity

“The Dash Charity is honoured to be one of the first in the country to achieve SafeLives Leading Lights accreditation. It validates the work of the organisation in its efforts to keep the safety of victims of domestic abuse at the heart of its work. Furthermore, the accreditation has enabled the charity to advance through funding processes as the accreditation highlights The Dash Charity's as a quality assurance agency which is vital in an ever changing economy and within a sector that values outcomes based work.”

Barnardo's Idva service, Wigan

“The (Leading Lights) process has provided a useful benchmark to evaluate our service effectiveness, and that it illustrates the high standards of work that we seek to deliver to families, children and adults affected by domestic abuse. Our commissioners are delighted that it has provided an external validation of their decision to commission Barnardo's.”

Trish Harrison, Worth service manager

“When we started on the accreditation process, we knew we had policies and procedures that we had outgrown. The SafeLives accreditation gave us a framework within which to review what we were doing with the objectivity and insight to determine what we needed to change and how to change it.”

Dee Conlon, Idva service manager, Blackpool Advocacy

“… we received excellent, consistent support from the Leading Lights coach at SafeLives. She was always at the end of a phone, she gave clear communication both before and after visits and as a result, we didn't feel alone through the process. We were going through a number of accreditations at the time and this was by far the best.”